Exclusive: Norwich City issued “massive backwards step” transfer warning

Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie believes that Norwich City will take a massive step backwards if Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz are sold this summer.

The Canaries are currently in the mix for a play-off place in the Championship, but could lose two of their star players at the end of the campaign, particularly if promotion isn’t secured.

It was reported last weekend by Alan Nixon that Sheffield United are eyeing a move for the Spaniard, with their sights set on automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Teamtalk have also written that Leeds United are among the sides eyeing a move for Sargent this summer, with Nottingham Forest also linked.

Lee Hendrie makes Norwich summer sales claim

Hendrie has claimed that losing both Sargent and Sainz this summer would be a massive blow for Norwich.

He believes the team needs bolstering in order to compete for promotion even with the pair still at the club, so expects them to take a step backwards if they depart.

“If Norwich lose Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz, if they leave in the summer, will it be a big blow? Yes, it will be,” Hendrie exclusively told Football League World.

“If anything it just typifies that the club hasn’t performed this season.

“I think expectations have always been hovering over Norwich, and with some of the players they have, I’m not sure whether they had that full potential to go and push this season, whether the thoughts were for a play-off promotion.

“It would’ve been a big ask.

“I think they’re missing quite a few players that could probably bolster that squad, but losing them two players that have been their key players this season.

“Sainz obviously scoring a lot of goals from the midfield areas, and we know about Josh Sargent, who can certainly score goals running behind, and he’s got quite a few traits to his game.

“If you lose them two players, I think it’s a massive backwards step for Norwich, and a real big influence on whether they can go forward.

“Because obviously, replacing players of that calibre is very difficult in the Championship.”

Johannes Hoff Thorup’s side are currently 10th in the Championship table, five points behind the play-off places.

Norwich have to try keep one of their star players this summer

Losing one of Sargent or Sainz at this point seems a distinct possibility, but the club have to avoid selling both in one go.

The Canaries sold the likes of Jonathan Rowe and Gabriel Sara last summer, and the team has been worse off for it, so this would only further deepen the issues.

While there’s no doubt they’d earn good money from their sales, there is a big risk in reinvesting that in one go back into the team at the same time.

Sainz’s contract is up in 2026, making him the more sellable asset to Sargent, who is tied to Norwich until 2028, but it wouldn’t be too shocking if both do go.

Norwich City: Josh Sargent on Championship top six chase

Josh Sargent still has belief that Norwich City can reach the Championship’s top six, but knows it will take a strong run of form. 

The striker was the match-winner in last weekend’s victory over West Brom to keep City’s faint prospects of a play-off push alive ahead of another important clash against bottom-of-the-table Plymouth on Saturday.

Sargent’s goal-scoring form will be critical to any top six push in the remaining seven matches, with the American scoring nine times in the 11 starts since he returned from a groin injury in January.

City’s number nine is refusing to give up on their prospects and is hopeful Norwich can put a run of results together.

“You saw from today, we’re not giving up,” Sargent said after City’s win over West Brom. “It’s going to be game by game. We’ve got to keep getting results.

“We’ll see what happens in the end. I’m feeling very confident. I’m very, very happy with myself at the moment. Even happier with the team and how we ground out this result. It’s been tough going recently, and I’m just happy we could get three points.

“We knew the objective and what we had to do, and we accomplished it today. There was definitely time for everybody to take a deep breath and reset for a second. So, hopefully, with these last few games, we can make a good run, get some good results, and see what happens from there.”

Part of life as a striker is being patient and showing perseverance by shaking off chances that don’t result in goals.

That was the case for Sargent against West Brom after missing a big opportunity to open the scoring in the first half from Borja Sainz before slotting in a 92nd-minute stoppage winner to secure three valuable points for Johannes Hoff Thorup’s men.

Josh Sargent netted his 13th Championship goal of the season in Saturday’s 1-0 West Brom win. (Image: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd)“That’s life as a striker, you get a chance and you’ve got to move on if you miss it,” Sargent said.

“You’ve got to wait for that next opportunity. There are a lot of games where you don’t get that opportunity or a lot of chances, but you’ve got to wait for that moment.

“I was just happy I could take a break for a second! I was tired, but it’s a great feeling and we definitely deserved it. It was a tough game, but very happy for everyone to grind out that result.”